Vacuum cleaner head



Jan. 26, 1965 E. G. WHITE VACUUM CLEANER HEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1963 53 INVENTOR Ewneo G. IVE/r5 flrrozveys.

Jan. 26, 1965 E. G. WHITE 3,166,778

VACUUM CLEANER HEAD 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 175 1963 INVENTOR. Ewneo 6- mun:-

United States Patent Ofitice 3,166,778 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 3,156,77t VACUUM (ILJANEF; HEAI) Edward G. White, 137 E. 47th St, Los Angeies, (Salim, assignor of fifteen percent to Mark L. Hurley Filed Apr. 1'7, 1963, Ser. No. 273,685 14 Elaims. (1. 15-656) In general, the present invention relates to an improved vacuum cleaner head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a compact vacuum cleaner head having the capability of cleaning rug portions adjoining obstructions and having a cleaning mechanism adapted to comb out the pile of the rug.

A wide variety of vacuum cleaner heads has been known for many years, and it commonly includes rotating brushes to aid in the sucking up of the dirt into the vacuum cleaner. by the same source of power which creates the vacuum or, more recently, by wheels attached to the vacuum cleaner head whose rotation is caused by the movement of the vacuum cleaner across the floor. In either case, such prior art rotating brushes promote the suction of dirt into the vacuum cleaner by a brushing or sweeping action which operates reasonably effectively on dirt and debris collected on the surface of the rug. However, such brushes are relatively ineffective in loosening the dirt and debris which has been ground down into the carpet so that it lies below the surface of the carpet pile. The reason that the rotating brushes of the ordinary prior art vacuum cleaner head are ineffective with reference to deeply embedded dirt and debris is that the large number of closely packed strands of the brush prevent the individual strands of the brush from penetrating into the carpet pile and effectively contacting the dirt embedded deeply therein. Thus, while a brush is well designed for a brushing or sweeping action on a relatively smooth surface, such design prevents effective operation of the brush on surfaces such as rug pile, particularly rugs with a deep pile.

In addition to the relative ineffectiveness of the prior art vacuum cleaner rotating brushes, such vacuum cleaner heads normally maintained their brushes in a fixed spaced relation to the surface being cleaned and usually presented a difficult problem of maintenance if repair of the brush or any other part of the vacuum cleaner head was required for any reason. Thus, for example, the prior art vacuum cleaner brushes could not be adjusted to compensate for the thickness of the carpet pile, which, as noted above, has a decided effect on the cleanability of the carpet or rug. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner heads of the prior art utilizing rotating brushes were invariably relatively bulky and were incapable of cleaning close to obstructions, such as walls and furniture. Thus, the gap between the brush and the housing for the vacuum cleaner head necessarily left a space of a half inch or more around obstructions which were not cleaned by the vacuum cleaner.

Consequently, a general object of the present invention is a compact vacuum cleaner head having the capability of cleaning the rug portion adjoining obstructions.

Another object of the present invention is a compact vacuum cleaner head having a cleaning mechanism adapted to comb out the pile of a rug and a housing adapted to closely follow the rug contours.

Still another object of the present invention is a vacuum cleaner head having a cleaning mechanism mounted in a housing by a connect-ion adapted to permit vertical and angular adjustment of the cleaning mechanism with respect to the housing and to permit easy removal of the cleaning mechanism from the housing.

Other object and advantages of the present invention Such rotating brushes have been driven either having an elongated bottom opening and a port connected to a vacuum source. Mounted in the housing is a cleaning mechanism which includes a rotatably mounted shaft having longitudinal rows of teeth spaced around its circumference. The teeth are positioned to penetrate into and set up the rug pile when the shaft is rotated. Operatively connected to each end of such shaft is a gear means for rotating such shaft. Operatively connected to each of the gear means is a traction wheel which is adapted to engage the rug and to drive the gear means by movement of the vacuum cleaner head over the rug. The following description and drawings set forth other more specific portions of the present invention.

In order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to the appended drawings of the present invention. Such drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention which is properly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l'is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner head of the present invention, showing it attached to the remaining portion of the vacuum cleaner.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1, taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of FIGURE 2, taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2, taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional View of FIGURE 4 taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 4, taken along the lines 66 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2, taken along the lines 7-7 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 4, showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1-7, the vacuum cleaner ead 10 of the present invention is comprised of a housing 11 and a cleaning mechanism 3% mounted in the housing 11. The elongated housing II has an elongated bottom opening 12 which adjoins the carpet being swept. In the upper portion of the housing 11 is a port 13 through which the housing 11 is connected to a vacuum source. As illustrated, the connection to the vacuum source is accomplished by a hose 14 having a nozzle 15 mounted on the end thereof and inserted in the port 13. The nozzle 15 has an opening 16 in the bottom portion thereof through which the vacuum hose l4 communicates with the interior of the housing 11. The housing I1 is rotatably mounted on the nozzle 15 and includes a front wall 17, a rear wall 18, side walls 19 and a top wall 20.

The housing 11 also includes an'assembly 96 which is adapted to closely follow the rug contours and to maintain a relatively high vacuum over the rug portion being cleaned. The skirt assembly includes a flange 91 mounted around the internal periphery of the housing 11. The flange 91 has a substantially L-shaped cross-section wherein the free leg 92 extends downwardly from the support leg 93 to form a downwardly facing groove 94. Slidably mounted in the groove 94 is a skirt 95 which extends around the circumference of the housing 11. The skirt E5 has sufiicient height to simultaneously extend below the bottom opening 12 into contact with the rug and up into the housing 11, but maintains sufiicient clear- .the cleaning mechanism 36 from the housing 11.

ance from the support leg 93 of the flange 91 to permit vertical movement in response to changes in the contour of the rug. Connecting the flange 91 to the skirt 5 are spring means 96 consisting of four coil springs spaced around the circumference of the groove 94. The spring means 96 are adapted to maintain the lower edges of the skirt $5 in contact with the rug being cleaned.

The connection 21 mounting the cleaning mechanism 36 in the housing 11 is adapted to permit vertical and angular adjustment of the cleaning mechanism 3%) with respect to the housing 11 and to permit easy removal of As illustrated, the connection 21 includes an aperture 22 in the top wall illof housing 11 adjacent each side wall 19 of the housing 11. Mounted over each of the apertures 22 is a band 23 attached to the outer surface of the housing 11. Each of the bands 23 has a slot 2% therein aligned with the aperture 22 and extending perpendicular to the V cleaning mechanism agitator 31. Mounted on each end of the cleaning mechanism 3a? is an upright post 25 which extends through a corresponding aperture 2.2 in the top wall Ell of the housing ll and its aligned band slot 2 3.

Mounted on each of the posts 25 are fastening means 26 for determining the position of the posts 215 in the aperture 22 and its slot 24. As shown, the fastening means comprises the posts 25 being rotatably mounted on the cleming mechanism 3% and being threaded. Externally or" the housing 11 is a wing nut 27 threaded onto the post 25. Within the housing ll. is a nut 28 threaded onto the post 25 between the cleaning mechanism 39 and top wall 26 of the housing 11. The nut 28 is loosely enclosed in a cage 29 which is attached to the bottom sur face of the top wall of the housing ll. The cage 29 is adapted to permit limited angular tilting of the nut 26 while preventing complete rotation of the nut about its axis.

From the foregoing description of the connection 21 between the housing 11 and the cleaning mechanism 36 it can be seen that the cleaning mechanism 3% may be simply removed from the housing 11 merely by removing the wing nuts 27 and rotating the posts so that they are threaded out of the nuts 28. On the other hand, if it is desired to adjust the vertical and angular position of the cleaning mechanism 3% with respect to the housing 11, thewing nuts 27 are initially loosened and then the posts 25 are rotated to obtain the proper vertical adjustment. After such vertical adjustment is attained, the proper angular position of post 25 in the slot 24, is set by tilting post 25 about a pivotal axis passing horizontally through cage 29 and then the wing nuts 27 are re-tightened. As set forth below, the vertical adjustment of the cleaning mechanism 39 determines the amount of engagement of the traction wheels ill with the rug being cleaned. On the other hand, the angular adjustment of the cleaning mechanism 36 regulates the engagement of the rows of teeth it? with the rug being cleaned. After the wheels Til have been adjusted vertically, the mechanism 34) can be tilted to readjust the engagement of the rows of teeth 4%) with the rug to the same amount of engagement which existed before thevertical adjustment or to a different amount of engagement. Thus, the vacuum cleaner head of the present invention is capable of independent adiustment of either its traction wheels or its teeth, or both.

The cleaning mechanism 39 mounted in the housing 11 includes generally a rotatably mounted agitator 31 having longitudinal rows of teeth 49 spaced around its circum ference. Such teeth are positioned to penetrate into and set up the rug pile while the agitator 31 is rotated. Operatively connected to each end of the agitator 31 is a gear means Sll for rotating the agitator. Each of the gear means 5%) has atraction wheel 70 operatively connected thereto which is adapted to engage the rug and to drive the gear means 56 by movement of the vacuum cleaner head over the rug. As illustrated in FIGURES 1-7, the agitator 31 of the cleaning mechanism includes a central axle means 32. having a dislr 33 mounted adjacent each end thereof. Each of the disks 33 is perpendicular to and coaxial with the axle means 32. Parallel to the axle means 32 is a plurality of bars 34, equally spaced around the perimeter of their ends to the disks 33.

The rows of teeth all include a row of substantially parallel and equally spaced single strands 41. Each of the strands ll extends perpendicular to the axle means 32 and is attached inwardly from its ends to an adjacent p ir of bars 3%, so that the ends of the strand 41 are to engage the rug. Thus, as illustrated, each row of strands 41 forms two rows of teeth 4%, since each strand 42 has two free ends. The strands 41 may be made out of any flexible material having suitable tensile strength such as plastic or metal wire. However, since the strands ll are supported adjacent each of their ends, they may be made of material having relatively low tensile strength, such as plastic, and still maintain sufficient rigidity to perform their combing function. The number of bars se and rows of teeth may be varied over a considerable range depending primarily on the rate of rotation of the agitator 3i Thus, as the rate of rotation of the agitator 31 increases, the number of bars 34 and rows of teeth all may be reduced while attaining substantially the same cleaning action. Preferably, the numer of bars is in the range of about two to eight, and the number of rows of teeth is in the range of about two to sixteen. More specifically, when the agitator 3i is rotated at about twice as fast as the rotation of the traction wheel '23, the number of bars is preferably four, and the rows 05 teeth is eight.

At each end of the agitator 31 of the cleaning mechanism 3 is the gear means 5% for rotating the agitator 31. The gear means 5% includes a casing Sll, into which the axle means extends. Mounted on the end of the axle means 32 is a ratchet wheel 52. A pawl 53 is biased into engagement with the ratchet wheel 52 by means of a leaf spring 5 Rotatably mounted on the axle means 32 by means of a sleeve is a support wheel 56, which carries the pawl $3 and leaf spring 54 and maintains their ongagement with the ratchet wheel 52. Also mounted on the sleeve 55 is a small gear wheel 57, which is engaged with a large gear wheel 58. The large gear wheel 52} is fixedly mounted on a rod 5 which extends through the casing 51 and is rotata ly mounted with respect to the casing 51. The adjoining ends 68 of the rods 59 for each gear means 59 are maintained in alignment by a tube 61; however, tube 61 permits free rotation of the rods 59 with respect to each other. On the opposite end of each rod 59 is mounted a traction wheel 76 which is adapted to engage the rug and to drive the gear means 5% by movement of the vacuum cleaner head it) over the rug. Each traction wheel 7% has a set of claws 71 mounted around its circumference which is adapted to engage the rug during the forward movement of the vacuum cleaner head 35?.

As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the movement of the vacuum cleaner head in the direction indicated by the large arrow causes the claws 71 to engage their pointed ends with the rug and cause rotation of the traction wheel 7t) in the direction indicated by the arrow. When the traction wheels 7% rotate as indicated, it in turn causes the support wheel 56 to rotate in the opposite direction due to the engagement of the large gear wheel 53 with the small gear wheel 57. Such rotation of the support wheel 56 causes the agitator 31. to rotate in the opposite direction from the traction wheels due to the engagement of the pawl 53 with the ratchet wheel 52. However, it should be noted that such rotation of the agitator 31 occurs only during the forward movement of the vacuum cleaner head 1%. During the rearward movement of the vacuum cleaner head in, the traction wheel 79, of course, rotates in the opposite direction; however, such rotation is not transmitted to the agitator 31 because the pawl 53 merely slides around the ratchet 52 and is not drivingly engaged therewith. Further, it should be noted that the diflierence in the diameter between the large gear wheel 58 and the small gear wheel 57 causes the agitator 31 to rotate faster than the traction wheels 70'. Thus, by adjustment of the relative diameters, the relative rate of rotation can be selectively determined.

Preferably, the cleaning mechanism 30 includes a bracket 80 to the ends of which the casings 51 are attached and on which the posts 25 are rotatably mounted. Fixedly mounted on the bracket 80 is a row 81 of spaced, parallel fingers. Each of the fingers is adapted to pass between a pair of adjoining teeth, i.e., between a pair of adjoining ends of strands 41. In this way, long threads of debris which may become entangled and extend between two or more teeth, may be effectively removed to be sucked into the source of vacuum. Preferably, the row 81 of fingers consists of alternating long fingers 82 and short fingers 83 to facilitate the cleaning of the teeth.

To operate the vacuum cleaner head 10, illustrated in FIGURES 1-7, the cleaning mechanism 30 is initially positioned with reference to the housing 11 as set forth above for the specific cleaning job to be done. For example, for a deep pile carpet the vertical space between the housing 11 and the traction wheels 70 may be increased to compensate for a rug with a deep pile. Concurrently, the angular position of the cleaning mechanism 30 may be adjusted to increase the depth of engagement of its teeth with the rug. After the cleaning mechanism has been adjusted, the vacuum cleaner head is run over the rug in the normal fashion. During the forward movement of the vacuum cleaner head 19, the traction wheels 70 cause rotation of the agitator 31 in the direction indicated in FIGURE 5. Such rotation causes the teeth to penetrate into and set up the rug pile. During the passage of the vacuum cleaner head over the rug, the teeth in effect comb the rug pile substantially vertically to cause loosening of the dirt and debris not only on the surface of the rug but also that embedded deep in the pile. Such loosening of the dirt and debris in conjunction with the source of vacuum formed in the vacuum cleaner head causes the dirt and debris to be sucked into the source of vacuum.

As illustrated in FIGURE 8, the cleaning mechanism 30 may utilize an axle means 32 and rod 59' which terminate adjacent their respective casings 51. Such structure simplifies the manufacturing of the vacuum cleaner head 10 and emphasizes the independent operation of the cleaning mechanism 30 by either of the traction wheels 70.

Many other specific embodiments of the present inven tion will be obvious to one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. For example, see the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 8. Also, preferably, the agitator 31 of the cleaning mechanism 30 rotates in the opposite direction from the traction wheels during the forward movement of the vacuum cleaner head. However, if desired, the agitator 31 may rotate in the same direction as the traction wheels during the forward movement of the vacuum cleaner head. In addition, if desired, the cleaning mechanism shaft may be operatively connected to the traction wheels to rotate during both the forward and rear movement of the vacuum cleaner head. With such arrangement, the traction wheel claw would be suitably designed to promote engagement with the rug during both the forward and rear movement of the vacuum cleaner head. Also, the traction wheels could be adapted to operate in conjunction with each other instead of independently as described. 7 p i There are many features in the present invention which clearly show the significant advance the present invention represents over the prior art. Consequently, only a few of the more outstanding features will be pointed out to illustrate the unexpected and unusual results attained by the present invention. One feature of the present invention is the combing action of the teeth of the cleaning mechanism which penetrate into and set up the rug pile, as

compared to the brushing action of the prior art vacuum cleaner heads which tends to beat down the rug pile. Such combing action is accomplished due to the use of single, well spaced teeth which permit the individual tooth to penetrate deeply into the rug pile without interference from the adjoining teeth. Thus, even deeply embedded dirt and debris are loosened by the vacuum cleaner head by such combing action, and such loosening is normally sufficient to permit dirt to be sucked into the source of vacuum. Also, the loosening and agitation of the rug pile caused by the combing action is normally sufiicient to suck up the surface dirt and debris since it is only loosely attached to the rug pile.

Another feature of the present invention is the compact vacuum cleaner head which has the'capability of cleaning rug portions adjacent obstructions such as walls. As illustrated in the drawings, the agitator is rotatably mounted adjacent the front Wall of the housing so that the fingers are separated from the rug portion in front or" the housing substantially only by the thickness of the housing wall. Thus, the combing action of the vacuum cleaner head of the present invention is effectively exerted on all portions of the rug substantially up to obstructions such as furniture and walls. Also, the vacuum cleaner head is rendered even more compact by having its traction wheels located within the housing, and such construction additionally protects the traction wheels from being bumped or stepped on.

Still another feature of the present invention is the connection between the cleaning mechanism and the housing of the vacuum cleaner head. Such connection permits independent adjustment of either the spacing between the housing and the traction wheels or between the housing and the teeth of the cleaning mechanism. Thus, the vacuum cleaner head may be quickly and simply adjusted for each specific cleaning job. For example, if it is desired to clean hardwood floors where no combing action is necessary, the teeth and traction wheels may be drawn up completely within the housing so that the maximum suction effect is exerted on the smooth floor due to the complete enclosure of the area being cleaned by the housing. In addition, such connection permits the easy removal of the cleaning mechanism to facilitate its repair.

Still another feature of the present invention is the utilization of traction wheels having specifically designed claws to promote engagement between the drive wheels and the rug being cleaned. Such traction Wheels may be relatively thin to facilitate engagement of the claws with the rug pile. Furthermore, either of the traction wheels is capable of operating the cleaning mechanism independently of the other. Thus, if for any reason during the cleaning of the rug one of the traction Wheels is lifted or disengaged from the rug or becomes jammed, the other traction wheel will continue to rotate the cleaning mechanism.

Still another feature of the present invention is a skirt assembly which maintains close contact even with irregular rug surfaces so that efiicient vacuuming may occur. It also should be noted that various equivalent means may be utilized to movably connect the skirt to the housing, such as lugs spaced around the internal circumference of the housing to which the springs may be attached.

It will be understood that the foregoing description and examples are only illustrative of the present invention and it is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto. All substitutions, alterations and modifications of the present invention which come within the scope of the following claims or to which the present invention is readily susceptible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure are considered part of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A compact vacuum cleaner head having the capability of cleaning rug portions adjoining obstructions and sneenvs having a cleaning mechanism adapted to comb out the pile of the rug, comprising:

(a) an elongated housing having an elongated bottom opening and a port connected to a vacuum source;

(b) a cleaning mechanism mounted in said housing,

7 said cleaning mechanism including (1) a rotatably mounted agitator having longitudinal rows of teeth spaced around its circumference, said teeth being positioned to penetrate into and set up the rug pile when said agitator is rotated,

(ll) gear means operatively connected to said agitator for rotating said agitator, and

(III) a traction wheel operatively connected to said gear means, said traction wheel being adapted to engage said rug and to drive said gear means by movement of said vacuum cleaner head over the rug; and

(c) said cleaning mechanism being mounted in said housing by a connection which is adapted to permit vertical and angular adjustment of said cleaning mechanism with respect to said housing and to permit easy removal of said cleaning mechanism from said housing, said connection comprising (I) an aperture in the top wall of said housing adjacent each end of said housing;

(11) a band curved over each of said apertures and attached to the outer surface of said housing, each of said bands having a slot therein aligned with said apertures and extending perpendicular to the cleaning mechanism agitator;

(III) an upright post mounted on each end of said cleaning mechanism and extending through a corresponding aperture in the top wall of said housing and its aligned band slot; and

(IV) fastening means mounted on each of said posts and adapted to determine the vertical and angular positions of said posts in said aperture and slot independently of each other.

2. A compact vacuum cleaner head having the capability of cleaning rug portions adjacent obstructions and having a cleaning mechanism adapted to comb out the pile of the rug, comprising:

(a) an elongated housing having an elongated bottom opening in a port connected to the vacuum source; and

(b) a cleaning mechanism mounted in said housing,

said cleaning mechanism including:

(1) a rotatably mounted agitator having longitudinal rows of teeth spaced around its circumference, said teeth being positioned topenetrate into and set up the rug pile when said agitator is rotated, said agitator comprising a central axle means having a disk mounted adjacent each end thereof, with each of said disks being substantially perpendicular to and coaxial with said axle means and a plurality of bars parallel to said axle means and spaced around the perimeter of said disk, each of said bars being attached at its ends to said disk and said rows of teeth comprising rows of substantially parallel and equally spaced, substantially rigid, single strands, each of said strands extending perpendicular to said axle means and being attached inwardly from its ends to an adjacent pair of bars so that the ends of said strands are adapted to engage the rug,

(II) gear means operatively connected to said agitator for rotating said agitator and I (III) a traction wheel operatively connected to said gear means, said traction wheel being adapted to engage said rug and to drive said gear E: means by movement of said vacuum cleaner head over the rug.

3. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1 wherein the axle of said traction wheel is laterally spaced from the aXle of said agitator whereby said connection permits independent adjustment of the position of said traction wheel and agitator.

4. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 2, wherein the number of said bars is in the range of about two to eight, and the number of rows of teeth is in the range of about two to sixteen.

5. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 2, wherein the number of said bars is four and the number of rows of teeth is eight.

6. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1, wherein said gear means is adapted to rotate said agitator in the opposite direction from the rotation of the traction wheels.

7. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 6, wherein said gear means is adapted to rotate said agitator only during the forward movement of the vacuum cleaner head.

8. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1, wherein said gear means is adapted to permit said agitator to be rotated by one traction wheel independently of the other traction wheel.

9. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1, wherein said gear means is adapted to rotate said agitator about twice as fast as the rotation of said traction wheels.

10. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1, wherein each of said traction wheels has a set of claws mounted around its circumference adapted to engage said rug during the forward movrnent of the vacuum cleaner head.

11. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1, wherein said cleaning mechanism includes a fixed row of spaced parallel fingers, each finger being adapted to pass between a pair of adjoining teeth in each of said rows of teeth during the rotation of said shaft.

12. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 11, wherein said row of fingers consists of alternating long and short fingers.

13. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a skirt assembly adapted to closely follow the rug contours and to maintain a relatively high vacuum over the rug portion being cleaned.

14. A vacuum cleaner head as stated in claim 13 wherein said skirt assembly comprises:

(a) a flange mounted around the internal periphery of said housing, said flange forming a downwardly facing groove;

(b) a skirt sildably mounted in said flange groove; and

(0) spring means connecting said flange and skirt, said spring means being adapted to maintain the lower edges of said shirt in contact with the rug being cleaned.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,593 Flynn Aug. 30, 1932 688,189 Mason cc. 3, 1901 993,202 Russell et al May 23, 1911 1,265,790 Kirby May 14, 1918 1,394,789 Prell Oct. 26, 1921 1,543,972 Adams June 30, 1925 1,800,316 Replogle Apr. 14, 1931 1,812,493 Martinet June 30, 1931 2,000,955 Hudson May 14, 1935 2,210,950 Replogle Aug. 13, 1940 2,290,374 Lofgren July 21, 1942 2,601,697 Troxler luly 1, 1952 2,741,785 Siebert Apr. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,048 Great Britain Apr. 12, 1937 

1. A COMPACT VACUUM CLEANER HEAD HAVING THE CAPABILITY OF CLEANING RUG PORTIONS ADJOINING OBSTRUCTIONS AND HAVING A CLEANING MECHANISM ADAPTED TO COMB OUT THE PILE OF THE RUG, COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED HOUSING HAVING AN ELONGATED BOTTOM OPENING AND A PORT CONNECTED TO A VACUUM SOURCE; (B) A CLEANING MECHANISM MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, SAID CLEANING MECHANISM INCLUDING (I) A ROTATABLY MOUNTED AGITATOR HAVING LONGITUDINALE ROWS OF TEETH SPACED AROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE, SAID TEETH BEING POSITIONED TO PENETRATE INTO AND SET UP THE RUG PILE WHEN SAID AGITATOR IS ROTATED, (II) GEAR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID AGITATOR FOR ROTATING SAID AGITATOR, AND (III) A TRACTION WHEEL OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID GEAR MEANS, SAID TRACTION WHEEL BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID RUG AND TO DRIVE SAID GEAR MEANS BY MOVEMENT OF SAID VACUUM CLEANER HEAD OVER THE RUG; AND (C) SAID CLEANING MECHANISM BEING MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING BY A CONNECTION WHICH IS ADAPTED TO PERMIT VERTICAL AND ANGULAR ADJUSTMENT OF SAID CLEANING MECHANISM WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND TO PERMIT EASY REMOVAL OF SAID CLEANING MECHANISM FROM SAID HOUSING, SAID CONNECTION COMPRISING (I) AN APERTURE IN THE TOP WALL OF SAID HOUSING ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID HOUSING; (II) A BAND CURVED OVER EACH OF SAID APERTURES AND ATTACHED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING, EACH OF SAID BANDS HAVING A SLOT THEREIN ALIGNED WITH SAID APERTURES AND EXTENDING PERPENDICULAR TO THE CLEANING MECHANISM AGITATOR; (III) AN UPRIGHT POST MOUNTED ON EACH END OF SAID CLEANING MECHANISM AND EXTENDING THROUGH A CORRESPONDING APERTURE IN THE TOP WALL OF SAID HOUSING AND ITS ALIGNED BAND SLOT; AND (IV) FASTENING MEANS MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID POSTS AND ADAPTED TO DETERMINE THE VERTICAL AND ANGULAR POSITIONS OF SAID POSTS IN SAID APERTURE AND SLOT INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. 